Sorry for not updating last week. I was too busy and had to prepare for the final exams. Anyway, summer holidays are coming up, and I hope to be able to write more during that time.

I am writing a Card Captor Sakura story along with Seasons right now, it's called Reflection of the Moon. Anyone who is familiar with Card Captor Sakura, I really hope that you'll go take a look at the story. Give me some support!!!

Seasons Spring

April

The period of sakura was almost over. The trees were not yet completely bare, with the last few stubborn petals desperately clinging onto the branches. Although most of the flowers willingly went with the wind, these few were the exceptions. Like humans, each flower had its own characteristics. Or perhaps it was just he weather conditions and when they bloomed. But there's no harm in adding a little more spirit to tings around us, right?

Maybe then, would we only be conscious of wheat others feel, and less people would be hurt.

Kurama was exactly one of those people, whom to others may seem a little unusual. In a weird way, yes, but that would soon be forgotten when he smile. A smile, which was almost just as sweet as the rose he seemed to be talking to.

Do you believe that plants can talk? If so, what would the gradually rotting petals say, as someone just stepped over them? What would the bare branches say, as someone just passed it, casting a disapproving glance? If they feel pain just like we do, whom can they confide to? Would anyone understand?

Isn't it always more painful that nobody can truly understand you, than that you don't even have a chance to speak?

The rose seemed to be leaning into his hand, as his lips moved, as if whispering something that no one but the flower and himself could hear. Then he stood up, and went to another section of the backyard.

Now the flower almost glowed in the sunlight, its petals thick and luscious, colour as rich as the finest red wine and its seductive scent wafted in the afternoon air. Just a moment ago it was only a wilting rose overshadowed by others of its own kind. What did Kurama say to it?

A strong gust of wind blew by. sakura petals scattered to the ground.

Kurama continued tending to his flowers, his actions familiar and skilful. "Hiei, why don't you come down?" He suddenly said, not even turning around. But the garden was apparently empty.

Well, at least it was a second ago. A shadow flickered and Hiei stood behind Kurama, arms folded in a rather annoyed posture. "How did you know it was me?" Kurama turned and smiled. Hiei found himself unable to sustain his annoyance much longer, but sill put on a stern face. "Am I so easy to detect?"

"Of course not. I took two seconds to know that you were on the tree, and that I sonly because I'm used to your aura. Two seconds should be enough time for you if you want to kill someone."

"But I can never scare you this way, and it isn't fair. You always freak me out when you mask your aura and sneaks up behind me." He continued to pretend to be angry. It was silly, and he knew that. What he didn't know was why he still did that even when he knew it was childish. Luckily he only behaved this way in front of Kurama.

"You told me that my alertness was dropping, so I improved it. If you are unhappy about it, blame yourself," Kurama replied smugly and ruffled Hiei's hair with his soil stained hand.

"Don't do that!" he tried removing the dirt, but to no avail.

"Don't worry, you can take a shower later, after you've done helping me in the garden."

"When did I agree to help you?" Hiei narrowed his eyes and stared accusingly.

"Oh, you don't want to? Well, then I guess you will have to go to Yusuke's house to borrow the shower. Besides, you still have not paid me back for the plant I provided you to give to Mukuro. A little gardening won't hurt."

Hiei grunted, but kneeled down and stared helping all the same. Only that he froze when his hands came a centimeter above the soil. He just realized that he had not the tiniest idea what he was supposed to do and Kurama was staring at him. A hearty chuckle broke out from Kurama.

"Sorry, Hiei, but I forgot you have no experience with this kind of stuff," he smiled, amused. Hiei had to keep himself form blushing, half caused by embarrassment, half by what the words implied. He quickly drove his thoughts to another direction. "Hiei, are you here with me?" Kurama asked and waved his hand in front of Hiei's eyes, seeing that he had been staring into space for the past few moments.

Suddenly, Kurama grinned mischievously an said, "Is this your first time?"

"W . . . What are you talking about, Kurama?" Hiei broke away from his trance and sputtered out, although any of his efforts at trying to keep his mind away from that area totally failed as he spoke. He just hoped he didn't' blush.

Kurama restrained from teasing Hiei further, as much tempting as it was. He didn't want to scare him away. Instead, he handed him a small shovel. "Just loosen the soil, then we'll add some new ones," he instructed an demonstrated. "And also, pluck away any weeds, that you see. No, no, not that, it's grass, not week." Hiei just blinked emptily at him.

This was rather hopeless. But that's what that made it fun.

"It's like this," Kurama whispered gently by Hiei's ear, and held his hand to show him how to do it. "Close you eyes and listen with our heart, then you can hear what the plats are trying to say to you," he said in a dreamy voice.

Hiei shot him a glare and muttered, "They are telling me that you're crazy."

"No, I mean it. Just close your eyes and concentrate," he said seriously. Hiei could only oblige.

Miraculously, he really did hear something, sort of like soft murmuring. He still couldn't make out the words. Who knows if they even were words? He must be nuts to be listening to Kurama and speaking to flowers. The voices gradually got louder, and all of them seemed to be speaking at once, forming a peaceful chorus. It sounded heavenly, but somewhere deep inside, the song seemed sad. He opened hs eyes before he could get too emotionally, and saw Kurama moving his lips slightly.

Then, the rose, which was right in front of him, seemed to perk up. Kurama opened his eyes and smiled contently.

"You can actually speak to them? All I heard was some faint buzzing." Kurama smiled triumphantly at him and said, "It takes years of practice," and he gave a small wink. Hiei muttered something about having to control himself. Kurama grinned.

"The flowers said that they feel hurt. They know that humans love them, love their beauty, but exactly how many people would refrain from the temptation of plucking a flower down and take it home, only to find it wilted? Then I twill be dumped in the trash. No one can see or hear what the flowers really feel; they only judge from the surface, because flowers cannot talk."

"But they talked to you just now."

"No, I only sensed their aura. Every living thing has an energy, and even if it cannot talk, its mood could be shown through the slight change in pattern of the aura. Then I change my own aura to let them sense what I'm trying to say. I am not as magical s you think," Kurama laughed, but Hiei felt an underlying sense of bitterness.

Hiei looked at him seriously, and said, "Can you feel everything's aura, including mine?"

Kurama shook his head. "Humans are never as open and innocent as plants. I can feel their aura if I try, but what's the point? Since they want to hide, let them hide. Humans can speak, why do I have to use such an indirect method to know how they fell?" He said and his emerald eyes sparked. "Even I have to hide . . ."

"I don't know how to speak." Hiei said and looked away.

Kurama smiled understandingly. Now Hiei rally looked like a child, so vulnerable, so confused . . .Kurama skimmed his fingers across Hiei's cheek, gently guiding him up to look at him in the eye. "Close you eyes and feel, concentrate, like when you tried communicating with the plants, and feel. Only feel. Just feel, what your heart is trying to say. If you know what you really want, just open you mouth, and words will pour out. Just close your eyes right now."

He did as told, and immediately, every memory rushed back at him. He say himself traveling, alone, fighting, alone and doing everything and anything, alone. Why bother taking when there was nobody listening? Now it was different.

"I need to talk," he sad and tightened his hand around Kurama's wrist, afraid that this one person, the only person whom stayed with him would escape, disappear, or evaporate, he kept his eyes shut tight. Scenes from his memory flowed past in front of him, and he spoke, as if telling someone else's story. Kurama didn't move nor speak. He listened.

When the sun started setting, Hiei finally opened his eyes, and saw Kurama staring intently at him. He suddenly felt embarrassed, sitting next to such a beautiful creature, so he averted his gaze and abruptly stood up, only to get pulled back down. Kurama gave him a hug that was much warmer than the sunshine.

"See? You can talk. We are not plants, so if you say that you can't talk, it's not true," Kurama said and ran his hand through Hiei's hair, feeling the fire demon slowly relaxing into the embrace. "I will always listen when you talk."

Hiei was just getting used to the warmth and beginning to enjoy it, when Kurama exclaimed, "Look! The plant that you gave me grew taller!" He tuned to the direction Kurama was pointing at, and saw a hard-stemmed plant about 50 cm tall, with so many leaves that made it look like a green mushroom. The leaves were of very deep green, and when put under light, glowed a little silvery. The stems did not have any thorns, and the foliage looked full, and had a sort of gently curve that made it seem friendly. It made people want to hug it.

"Hey, there's a bud here! And another one there!" Sure enough, there were tiny buds that popped up on the branches. They also glowed silver, and looked like little light bulbs that hand around Christmas trees.

"I still have no idea what type of plant this is," Kurama said with a pout.

Flowers continued falling, but in the meantime, new buds bloomed.

"Can you feel what it is trying to say?" they closed their eyes, and Hiei heard the chorus, though this time there was no hidden sadness. It seemed content, wanting nothing more than what it already had, and was really overjoyed that someone could actually hear it. The happiness influenced Hiei too, and bough a smile to his normally expressionless face.

The Earth bustled with life, and since there is life, there must be death. Flowers bloom, flowers wilt, these are all part of the cycle that keeps the earth going, that keeps our lives running. Running, until we too, like the flowers, wilt. It is noting to be sad for. As long as the glowers bloomed, and people admire them, then their mission on this planet is done. Isn't it easy to fulfill their wish? They why do so many things die unsatisfied?

"Hiei, you're smiling," Kurama's soft voice carried him back to reality. "Do you feel happy?"

He blinked, then realized the warm and gently feeling he had in his heart now. It felt like Kurama's hug. Is that happiness? He didn't care what that feeling is called, but he knew that the liked it, and wanted more.

"Yes, I'm happy, Kurama." And for the first time, he wasn't hiding anything.

The branches of the sakura three were finally bar, but the branches of the peach blossom tree were just starting to get decorated by peach blossoms. Some people looked on the ground and signed, some people looked into the sky, and smiled. A little boy suddenly rolled on the ground, onto the fresh carpet of sakura petals, and looked into the sky, blue horizon dotted by fresh peach blossoms. Everything had its beautiful side, just see that side, and things will be fine.

Wasn't it too good a day to be brooding over a dark side that you couldn't even see?

Kurama stood up and waked towards the front door. "You coming, Hiei?"

"I guess, but why?"

" I still owe you a bath. Your hair is covered with soil." With that Kurama made face and bolted into the house.

It was just too good a day . . .